Control for multiple engines



//v VE/V T025 A80 r ANCKEL 20 H D/ETQ/CH WVOZA/ C. H. JORGENSEN ET AL CONTROL FOR MULTIPLE ENGINES Filed July 15, 1949 Jan; 20, 1953 \Q Qw E flL A EE/VCE H. JOQGENSEN H0 DONA LO P- WUQDEN Y TH: 5/2 A 7" Toe/v5 Y5 Patented Jan. 20, 1953 CONTROL FOR MULTIPLE ENGINES Clarence H. J orgensen, East Rochester, and Willard T. Nickel, Howard H. Dietrich, and Donald P. Worden, Rochester, N. Y., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application July 15, 1949, Serial No. 105,002

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the control for multiple engines on an airplane and its object is to provide a master control for all the engines and an individual control for each engine. Each individual control comprises a manually operated lever whose controlling position is maintained by engagement of a detent attached to the lever with a sector. The lever operates through a synchro-transmitter and receiver to control circuits of a reversible electric motor which operates a speed controlling element of the engine. In the case of a jet engine, for example, the element might be a valve controlling flow of fuel to the burners. The master control comprises a manually operated lever connected with the sector of the individual control levers by devices each separately adjustable so that idle and maximum speeds of the engines can be equalized.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of the control system.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of a synchro-receiver follow-up included in the system.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing in detail that portion within the circle 3 of Fig. 1.

The individual control for each engine comprises a lever l connected by a shaft I I with the rotor [2 of a synchro-transmitter ST. Rotor l2 has a coil I3 connected with an A. C. source, preferably 400 cycles. The Y-wound stator 14 is connected with a similar Y-wound stator-24 of a synchro-receiver SR having a rotor 22 carrying a coil 23 connected with the same A. C. source. Rotor 23 is connected by a shaft 25 with a disc 26 carrying a pin 21 movable in a slotted yoke 28 provided by an endwise movable rod 23 connected with a switch contact 33 which springs 3| tend to maintain in a control position between contacts 32 and 33 connected, respectively, with coils 34 and 35 of relays RI and R2, respectively. Contact 30 is connected with a direct current source terminal 36 connected with spring blades 38 and 39 which carry the armatures 4B and 4| of relays R! and R2, respectively. Blades 38 and 39 carry contacts 42 and 43, respectively, engageable with contacts 44 and 45, respectively, connected through limit switches LSI and LS2, respectively, with field coils 46 and 41 connected with brush 48 of a reversible D. C. motor 50 whose armature is connected with brush 48 and a brush 49 connected through ground with the other terminal of the D. C. source. The limit switches LS! and LS2 are operated by the motor 50 in a well known manner to stop operation of the motor when a fuel valve V operated by the motor is respectively fully opened and fully closed. The connection between the motor and valve V represented by line 5|, includes suitable speed reducing gearing. When the motor 50 stops, coasting thereof is arrested by dynamic braking effected by the short-circuiting of the armature through a circuit which includes fixed contacts 52 and 53 normally bridged by a contact 54 insulatingly supported by blade 38 and fixed contacts 55 and 56 bridged by a contact 51 insulatingly supported by blade 39.

When lever I0 is moved clockwise from idle position, rotor l2 turns clockwise and rotor 22 is caused to tend to rotate clockwise toward a position relative to stator 24 which is the same as then exists between rotor l2 and stator I4. Pin 2! turns clockwise about the axis of shaft 25 to cause the link 29 and the contact 30 to move left against the action of the left spring 3|. When contact 30 engages contact 32, relay RI is energized and its blade 38 moves down to open the short-circuit of the armature of motor 53 and to effect connection of the field coil 46 of the motor with the direct current source through the following circuit: terminal 36, blade 38, contacts 42, 44, coil 46, motor armature and ground. The motor 50 operates in a direction to cause such movement of the speed controlling element of the engine to effect increase in speed of the engine. In the case of a jet engine, motor 50 would open the fuel controlling valve 50. When the valve V has been opened to the extent required for the engine speed called for by the position of lever l0, operation of the motor 50 is caused to cease. As the motor 56 operates to open the valve V, the synchro-receiver stator 24 is caused to rotate counterclockwise by gearing represented in Fig. 1 by line and which, as shown in Fig. 2, includes worm 66, worm gear 6|, shaft 62, worm 63 and gear 64 connected with stator 24. By the time valve V has been opened, the required amount, the motor 50 will have rotated the stator 24 counterclockwise to such position that the rotor 22 will have moved to normal position shown in Fig. '1 in which the rotor 22 has the same relation to said position of the stator 24 as exists between the rotor and stator of the transmitter ST. Return of rotor 22 to normal position causes contact 30 to disengage from contact 32, the relay Ri to be de energized, the circuit of field winding 46 to be broken and the short-circuit of the motor armature to be reestablished.

Conversely, when lever I0 i moved from higher to lower speed demanding position, rotors I2 and 22 move counterclockwise from the positions they had occupied before speed reduction was called for. Since rotor 22 moved counterclockwise from normal position shown in Fig. 1, contact 30 engages contact 33, relay R2 is energized, the motor armature short-circuit is broken and field coil 41' is connected in a. circuit which includes terminal 36, blade 39, contacts 43, 45, coil 41, the motor armature and ground. The motor 50 operates in a direction to move the fuel valve V toward closed position and to rotate the synchroreceiver stator 24 clockwise. By the time valve V has been closed to the extent required for lesser speed called for by the position of lever 19, stator 24 will'have arrived at a position such that, in order to conform to the existing relation between stator l4 and rotor 12 of the synchro-transmitter, the rotor 22 will have moved clockwise to normal position to cause contact 39 to become disengaged from contact 33. Relay R2 is deenergized, field coil 47 is open-circuited, the motor armature short-circuit is completed and the motortll stops.

Each of the engines is individually controlled by the same kind of apparatus, two of them being shown in Fig. 1. Their respective control levers 19 can be so operated as to obtain equalization of thrust in flight or unequal thrust for taxiing. Each lever 19 is retained in position by a detent 79 which a spring H urges against a sector I2 pivoted coaxially of the shaft ll. The sectors 72 are held fixed by a master control to be described. A lever 10 is released from retention by itssector 72 by pressing a button 73 connected by a rod M with the detent.

The master control comprises a lever 89 connected with a shaft Bl which actuate-s similar mechanisms one for each of the engines. Each mechanism includes a shaft support 32, a lever 83 fixed to the shaft 81 and levers 8 3 and se journaled upon the shaft 8|. Lever 85 carries a pin 86 pivotally supporting a cam 81 carrying a pin 88 received by a slot 89 in lever 95. A spring 99, connecting cam 87 and lever 83, urges cam 81 counterclockwise about the pin 86, and pin 88 counterclockwise against lever 85 so that the cam 87 and the lever 85 tend to move together counterclockwise about the shaft 81 so that the upper side of cam 87 engages a roller 9! carried by lever 84. The roller 9| determines the location of cam 81 relative to shaft 8!. The location of roller 91 can be adjusted by turning a screw 92 threaded through lever 84 and having a reduced portion 93 received in a notch 83a in lever 83, so that the screw 92. does not move axially relative to lever 83 while being turned. Cam 81 is engaged by a follower 94 carried by a lever 95 pivotally supported by a bracket 95 and urged clockwise by a coiled spring 91. Lever 95 carries a pin 98 (see also Fig. 3) which receives a linkage 99 connected with. a sector I2 and with a ball 199 received by a socket in one end of a screw l! threaded through a lug I92 of lever 95.

There is a mechanism comprising parts 82-492 for each engine. The master control lever 86 being in idle position, adjustments of the screws [9| may be made to shift the sectors 72 and hence the levers H1 in order to obtain equalization of idling speed of' the turbines of the engines. With the lever 89 in maximum speed position, adjustments of screws 92 may be made to shift the cams 31 in order to obtain equalization of maximum speed of the engines. The adjustment for maximum speed equalization has practically no effect on. adjustment for idling speed equalization since, in the idle position of lever 89, the followers 94 contact the cam 87 at portions thereof close to the pins 86. The intermediate speed will be substantially equal since the contours of cams 8'! are thesame.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What i claimed is as follows:

1. An apparatus for controlling multiple engines including, a speed controlling element for each engine, a master control lever, manually operated individual control levers for actuatin the speed controlling elements of each engine and operable to control each engine throughout substantially the entire speed range thereof, a device releasably attached to each of said manually operated control levers whereby the speed controlling element of each engine can only be individually adjusted if the manually operated control lever therefor is released from said device, mechanisms interconnecting said master control lever and said devices whereby said manually operated control levers can only be moved by said master lever if said manually operated control levers are attached to said device, first adjusting means operatively connected in said mechanisms whereby said devices may be adj usted individually while said manually operated control levers are attached thereto, and second adjusting'means operatively connected in said mechanisms whereby each of said mechanisms may be independently adjusted.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each mechanism includes a cam support moved by the master control lever, a cam carried by the support, a cam follower engaging the cam, and means for transmitting motion from the follower to a device.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each mechanism includes a cam support moved by the master control lever, a cam carried by the support, a cam follower engaging the cam, means for transmitting motion from the follower to a device, and. wherein said first adjusting means includes an adjustable connection in said motion transmitting means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each mechanism includes a cam support moved by the master control lever, a cam carried by the support, a camfollower engaging the cam, means for transmitting motion from the follower to a device, and wherein said second adjusting meansincludes a pivoted lever assembly for adjusting the cam relative to the support.

CLARENCE H. JORGENSEN. WILLARD T. NICKEL. HOWARD H. DIETRICI-I. DONALD P. WORDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Apr. 23,1921 

